Impact tool cartridge with fixed cutting blade and retractable seating table

Abstract

An impact tool for use by telecommunications personnel for the insertion of communications wires in a terminal block. The impact tool includes an impact tool cartridge having a seating blade and a cutting blade. The seating blade is retractable against a compression spring while the cutting blade is fixed so that upon the application of seating pressure to the impact tool, the seating blade retracts and the cutting blade is exposed to cut the wire. In another embodiment of the invention, a spring loaded detent supplements the compression spring in resisting retraction of the seating tool. A noise producing mechanism is located in the impact tool handle for producing an audible sound upon completion of the wire seating and terminating operations. A storage compartment for the seating and cutting blades is formed in the impact tool handle and has a door pivotally mounted for opening and closing movement relative to the handle.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A tool cartridge for seating and cutting a communications wire in a terminal block, said tool cartridge including: 
       an elongated cartridge having a tool end and a base end,  
       a wire seating blade and a wire cutting blade mounted in said cartridge and extending longitudinally outwardly of said tool end thereof,  
       said wire seating blade having a wire engaging surface and said wire cutting blade having a wire cutting edge,  
       said blades extending outwardly of said tool end to position said wire engaging surface closely adjacent said wire cutting edge,  
       said wire seating blade mounted in said cartridge for longitudinal movement relative to said cartridge and to said cutting blade,  
       said wire cutting blade fixedly mounted against longitudinal movement relative to said cartridge, and  
       a compression spring mounted in said cartridge to resist longitudinal movement of said wire seating blade in a direction towards said base end of said cartridge and relative to said cutting blade upon the application of seating pressure to said cartridge,  
       said compression spring sized to compress upon the application of seating pressure to said cartridge to cause said wire engaging surface of said seating blade to move towards said base end of said cartridge and away from said cutting edge of said wire cutting blade.  
     
     
       2. The tool cartridge of  claim 1  in which a detent assists said compression spring to resist longitudinal movement of said wire seating blade in a direction towards said base end of said cartridge. 
     
     
       3. The tool cartridge of  claim 1  in which each of said seating and cutting blades has a longitudinal side contiguous to a longitudinal side of said other blade, each of said blades has a tip and a base, an undercut is formed in one of said contiguous longitudinal sides of one of said blades between said tip and said base and a compression ring biases said blades into contact with each other. 
     
     
       4. The tool cartridge of  claim 1  including a cap rotatably mounted on said tool end of said cartridge for rotation between a first position in which said cap engages and prevents longitudinal movement of said wire seating blade relative to said cartridge and a second position in which said cap permits longitudinal movement of said seating blade relative to said cartridge. 
     
     
       5. The tool cartridge of  claim 4  in which said cap is removably fastened to said cartridge. 
     
     
       6. The tool cartridge of  claim 5  in which said cap is fastened to said cartridge by a monofilament. 
     
     
       7. The tool cartridge of  claim 4  in which said cap includes an opening for passage of said wire seating blade and said wire cutting blade, said opening is oval in cross section to engage said blades to prevent removal of said blades through said opening in one position of rotation and to allow removal of said blades in another position of rotation. 
     
     
       8. A hand held impact tool for seating and cutting a communications wire in a terminal block, said impact tool including: 
       a handle formed of a pair of body shells which are joined longitudinally to each other to form an opening between them at one longitudinal end of said handle,  
       a tool cartridge supported in said handle and extending outwardly through said opening formed by said pair of body shells,  
       a collar formed on said tool cartridge and having an undersurface which engages said longitudinal ends of said body shells,  
       said tool cartridge having a shoulder and a base positioned in said handle,  
       rotational indexing notches formed in said base,  
       base support ribs and indexing notch engaging ribs formed on said body shells,  
       a compression spring trapped between said shoulder of said tool cartridge and said longitudinal ends of said body shells to permit longitudinal movement of said cartridge toward said longitudinal ends of said body shells upon compression of said spring to release said cartridge base indexing notches from engagement with said body shell indexing notch engaging ribs to permit rotation of said tool cartridge relative to said engaging ribs and upon expansion of said spring to return said base of said cartridge into engagement with said base support ribs and said indexing notch engaging ribs when said tool cartridge has been rotatably indexed relative to said tool handle.  
     
     
       9. A hand held impact tool for seating and cutting in a communications wire in a terminal block, said impact tool including: 
       a handle formed of a pair of body shells which are joined longitudinally to each other to form an opening between them at one longitudinal end of said handle,  
       a tool cartridge supported in said handle and extending outwardly through said opening formed by said pair of body shells,  
       a hammer pivotally mounted in said handle for rotational movement toward and away from at least one of said body shells and biased against said at least one of said body shells,  
       a wire seating blade mounted in said cartridge for longitudinal movement relative thereto,  
       a plunger mounted in said tool cartridge and extending into said handle to contact said hammer in an off-center relationship,  
       said plunger mounted to move longitudinally against said hammer upon longitudinal movement of said wire seating blade into said handle to rotate said hammer away from said at least one of said body shells and against said biasing means,  
       said plunger being further mounted so that continued longitudinal movement of said plunger against said hammer disengages said plunger and hammer allowing said biasing means to move said hammer into engagement with said at least one of said body shells.  
     
     
       10. A hand held impact tool for seating and cutting a communications wire in a terminal block, said impact tool including: 
       a handle formed of a pair of body shells which are joined longitudinally to each other to form an opening between them at one longitudinal end of said handle,  
       a tool cartridge supported in said handle and extending outwardly through said opening formed by said pair of body shells,  
       a tool storage compartment formed in one of said body shells,  
       a door for said compartment mounted on one of said body shells for rotation towards and away from said body shell to open and close said tool storage compartment.